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Prehistoric Life

How tall was Paranthropus boisei?

An adult Paranthropus boisei stood about 1.4 m (4 ft 7 in) tall.

What is measured: adult standing height

Paranthropus boisei (1.4 m) drawn to scale beside a bowling pin (38.1 cm) and an adult person (1.7 m)
Drawn to scale, from left to right: Bowling pin (38.1 cm), Paranthropus boisei (1.4 m) and Adult person (1.7 m).

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How big is that, really?

  • A little shorter than an adult person
  • A little shorter than a doorway
  • About 3.7× as tall as a bowling pin
  • About 9.5× as tall as a smartphone
  • About 23% of the length of a 20-foot shipping container

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Facts about Paranthropus boisei

Paranthropus boisei had enormous molars and a powerful jaw adapted for heavy chewing, earning it the nickname “Nutcracker Man.”

Source: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History — Paranthropus boisei; Human Origins Program — Paranthropus boisei

Prehistoric Life

NameSizeCompared with Paranthropus boisei
Smilodon1.2 m (3 ft 11 in)0.86×
Compsognathus longipes1.25 m (4 ft 1 in)0.89×
Cave bear1.3 m (4 ft 3 in)0.93×
Paranthropus boisei1.4 m (4 ft 7 in)this page
Dimorphodon macronyx1.45 m (4 ft 9 in)1×
Pterodactylus antiquus1.5 m (4 ft 11 in)1.1×
Thylacoleo carnifex1.5 m (4 ft 11 in)1.1×
Ichthyostega stensioei1.5 m (4 ft 11 in)1.1×
Titanis walleri1.5 m (4 ft 11 in)1.1×
Icadyptes salasi1.5 m (4 ft 11 in)1.1×

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